Platform type welt shoe



9- R. MALING 2,460,097

PLATFORM TYPEWEL'I' SHOE Filed March 6, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 'IIII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA f A gw Patented Jan. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE PLATFORM'TYPEWELT SHOE Roy, Maling, Chestnut. Hill,. Mass.

Application: March 6, 1948-, Serial No. 13,482

6,. Claims.

1. Thisinvention relates to improvements in platform-typewelt shoes. More, particularly it provideswimprovements in that variety of platform type-v shoesswherein-ithe: platform base structure includes a: covering; element which extends over.

thersides;ottheiplatform all aroundthe shoe and whose; upper edger-*portionis secured to'a welt stripon the shoerupperl- Shoes ofth'e mentioned variety may have eithen regularly lasted. uppers; or so-call'ed sliplasteduppers .but,,.ini everycase; a weltzstrip is secureds to the upper all-,around-i its base edge portieni by; which Welt strip-as. platformbase in order'to;repairthe:-rupture.: Actually, in the type ofxshoesrto vvh-ic'h'- theginvention relates, the uppera-ndl welt stripimay'ibe stitched to an insole according. tothe wel1 knownv Goodyear welt pro-'- cedure;. although an :insoleeordinarily is; not employed. and: isnot-.nec.essary.-v when; a.- platform base structure as; herein disclosed: -isemployed. Rather,- it-is preferable to' stitch the upper and welt: strip -to=. a sock-lining element or the like and to rely uponnthewplatfornr=base' 'structure-to supply stability; to: the completed; shoe.

The platform: base; structures of: the mentioned general :type": of; shoes, to; which 1 the invention relates necessarily have. a; relatively-thin tread element:whichmayrbh:thezunder'portion ofanintegral sheet" element extending-rover the under faceiarrdi thewsides 0f" an?v enclosed platform and heel unit', or-"whichxmayrbei a relatively thin outersole Gl EIZIEHtJ'SECLHZBd to "the under 'side of such arsheetfelementior securedzpverorto the inturnedtmarginsrofiafsheet" element which "covers thessidesaof .the:enclosedtunit ,butzwhichjdoesinot extendz."overrthe-entirenunder face of the unit.

Ina every? case; the tread? element: at; ther heel.

region has substantially the-same thickness as theitreadrelement atither'forepart, therinvention notv'beingn'concerned withc'structureswherein a heel of substantial thickness is applied under "the platform unit.

.Witl'r'theecustomary"hBBlshape; thee-relatively thin tread element atthe heel region is subjectedto concentratedwear at. the point and line of initial. contact of the-heel portion'in walking, and this region of concentrated wear frequently becomes. worn long before other portions of the tread area show any substantial effects of wear.

It is among; the objects -ofmy presentinvention to provide an improved platform heel region wherein thetread element curves gradually upwardly and rearwardlyfrom the tread plane so that the initial engagement of the heel region in walking'can be a rolling contact which distributes the wear over a substantial area of tread surface in the heel region of thetread element.

Another object is to preeshapethe enclosed platform and heel unit with a desired rearwardly and upwardly extending curvaturefrom the planeof: the under surface of;'the unit, and to form the covering element for the unit, at the heel region thereof, so-that itmay'be smoothly Wrapped about the sides of the unit at the heel egion,- a-iseparate-tread element being applied at the under-face ofthe unit havinga portion extending over-thecurvedl surface ofthe covered unitat the rear'of the shoe, said tread element providing a curved tread surface at the rear of the sh0e n-icelycurving upwardly and rearwardly from the tread plane;

A further "object of the invention is to provide a platform heel region having avtreadelement gradually curvingv upwardly and rearwardly from the tread plane, and of material having superior wearing qualities to the material of the main extent of-th'e tread elementnin: the shank and forepart regions of the-shoe.

It is, moreover, my purpose and object generally to improve platform type shoes and more especially the heel regions of the platforms of such shoes which have a platform covering element secured to a Welt strip on the shoe upper.

In, the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side'elevationaof ashoe embodying features of my presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the shoe of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is across-sectional View online 3-3 of Fig.1; on a larger scale;

Fig; 421s astopplaniview of the-platform covering sheetwith acomposite tread element stitched to its underside;

Fig; 5. is a: medial longitudinal cross-sectional view' through the base portions of ashoe similar to-.:that of'Fig. 1 but havingia'modified form of tread :element which is integral and continuous 1 from end toend;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing a modified form of platform-covering element which does not extend over the entire under surface of the covered unit;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View on line 8-8 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the modified form of platform-covering element of the shoe of Figs. 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings, the upper It may be of any desired style and of any suitable shoe upper material but it preferably willibe shaped and stitched on a last according to regular lasting procedures as distinguished from procedures wherein the ultimate shaping of the upper is accomplished by inserting a last into a pre-stitched upper.

However, in the shoes herein illustrated, no insole element is requisite, but only a sock-lining l2 to whose margin the lower margin of the upper it is stitched at it all around the extent of the upper. A welt strip l6 extends all around the lower margin of the upper, exteri-orly thereof, it preferably being secured to the upper by the same stitches M which secure the upper and socklining together.

Referring to Fig. 3, the sock-lining I2 is illustrated as composite of a thin skin of leather I2 which is exposed interiorly of the finished shoe,

and a sheet of canvas or duck I2", or the like,

bonded to the leather skin 12. It should be understood, however, that any suitable socklining may be employed.

The platform base structure comprises a sole and heel unit l8 which is covered by asheet of V flexible material 20 having integral extent over the entire under surface of the sole and heel unit It, and having integral extent up over the side edges of the unit l8, excepting at the rear portion thereof where the sheet 20 is cut in a particular manner, as seen in Fig. 4, for being nicely shaped around the rear portions of the unit I8.

The sole and heel unit l8 may be of any suitable material but preferably will be formed of resilient material such as cork, or rubber, or a combination of cork and rubber, or it may be formed of felt. In any case, it will be shaped to provide a forepart sole portion of desired platform thickness, and a substantially thicker heel portion, with the under side of the unit l8 fiat, or substantially so, and with the upper side gradually curving from the heel thickness to the forepart sole thickness and thereby providing shank curvature for the shoe.

The covering sheet 28 may be of any suitably strong and durable flexible material, such as fabric or one of the available plastic sheet materials, but I prefer a relatively heavy leather sheet 28 which may be provided around its margins with the spaced punched holes 22. The welt strip E6 on the upper Ill similarly may be provided with spaced punched holes 24 so that, when the sheet 28 is arranged in covering relation to the closed sheet 26, which; constitute the tread elements of the said patented shoe constructions. My present invention improves upon the said patented constructions by providing a novel shape at the heel region of the platform structure which avoids concentration of wear at a line of initial contact of a heel in walking, as in the case with a flat heel.

In the forms of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-6, I blank out, or otherwise form, the covering sheet 20 in the shape as represented in Fig; 4, but with thetoe portion intact. The holes 22 may be'punchecl in the blanking operation, or in a subsequent operation. The rear end of the blank has the generally semi-circular tab 28 centrally between the two oppositely disposed wing portions 3t, each of which latter has a curved edge 3% adjacent to the tab 28, The tab is adapted. to be bent or flexed toward the eye in Fig. 4, and the wing portions 30 then may be turned inward until their ends are butted together, with their said curved edges 30' engaging and following the curved edge of the tab. The wing portions 30 are adapted to be stitched together in their said butted relation, whereby they, with the tab 28, provide a generally dishedclosed end at the rear end of the blank.

However, before the wing portions 30 are turned inward and secured, a tread element, or outersole, is secured to the covering sheet 20, In the Figs. 1-4; form, the major portion 32 of the extent of the tread element is of one material, preferably leather, and the heel portion 34 thereof is of another material, preferably rubber or a flexible plastic material which has greater wearing qualities than the portion 32. The portions 32, 34 are lapped at 33 and'the lapped portion of the heel portion 34 and the portion 32 then are'stitched to sheet 29 by the row of stitches 38 which extends all around the margin of the portion 32 but which stitches only the lapped region of portion 34. This leaves the major extent of theheel portion 34 free of sheet 20 until the ends of the wing portions '36 are butted and stitched together. In Fi 4, the dotted lines along the ends of the wing portions 38 represent stitch holes.

The heel portion 34 has the rearwardly extending integral tongue 35 which next is pressed against the tab 28 and wing portions 30, after which the tongue and heel portion 34 are stitched to the sheet 2!! by a line of stitching which extends through the tongue at the dotted lines 40 and through the wing portions 30 along the dotted lines at, the line of stitching continuing'at 54 along both sides'of the heel portion 34 and all around the margin of the portion 32. The end of the tongue 35 has two lacing holes 48 which register with the endmost hole 22 in each wing portion 30, so that the lacing 26, at the back of the shoe engages the tongue 35 as well as the overlaid wing portions 30.

This provides a shoe having a Wear distributing and resisting heel region as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The Figs. 5 and 6 form is in all respects the same as the Fi s, 1-4 form excepting that the treadel'ement: 4-8.5is integral. and, ofonematerial, Which-may beleather orrubber, throughout. Fig. illustrategthgz; edge to edge'relation of the tab 28' andthe-wing portions=-30= of. covering sheet 28, maintained between the unit [8' and; the: tongue 35, which-isthe. same lathe-Figs, l d-form:v

Figs. 7-9- illustrate a; modification in which, the platform-and-heel unit l 8"is covered by a-sheet element- Eil-which does not extend overthe entire under-surface of-the unit l8'buthas only'marginalportions Ellwhich are turned under unit it: all around the unit. A treade1ement'3'2, 34- of the Figs; 1-4. form or a t-readhelement 48 of. the Figs. and-16 forl ,mayrbe, stitched tothe turned-under portions 52 by rows ofstitches 54 and 5%.; The rear endportion of the sheetelement iitrnayhave atab 58 and-wing portions 60- comparable to those represented in Fig..- 4; The

exterioreffectin the-Figs, 7-9 form will be the same as. that of v either of theearlier, describedforms, depending uponwhich type of tread elementisemployed:

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, that I have provided an improved platform base structure for shoes wherein the Wear which customarily is concentrated at a line of initial contact of a fiat heel in walking is, by my invention, distributed over a substantial area of curved heel surface because the initial contact need not always be at any one line or point of contact, and because the action is a rolling engagement which spreads the wear and minimizes the shock of the initial contact.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shoe having an upper, a platform base structure secured to the upper, comprising a sole and heel platform unit having the rear end of its heel portion formed with convex curvature which provides a rear surface curving upwardly and rearwardly from the plane of the under surface of the heel portion substantially to the plane of the upper surface of the heel portion, a flexible sheet element covering the side edges of said unit all around the unit and extending under at least the marginal portions of the under surface of the unit all around the unit, said element at its rear portion having oppositely disposed wings butted edgewise together in covering relation to said rear curving surface of the unit, means securing said wings in their butted relationship, a tread element secured to the flexible sheet element around the forepart and in the shank and heel regions, said tread element having a rearwardly projecting tongue curving upwardly and rearwardly over said butted wings and secured along its opposite edges to said wings, a welt strip secured to the upper all around the lower edge portion thereof, and means securing said flexible sheet element to said welt strip all around the shoe.

2. In a shoe having an upper, a platform base structure secured to the upper, comprising a sole and heel platform unit having the rear end of its heel portion formed with convex curvature which provides a rear surface curving upwardly and rearwardly from the plane of the under surface of the heel portion substantially to the plane of the upper surface of the heel portion, a flexible sheet element adapted to cover the entire under surface of said unit and to extend upward in covering relation to the side edges of the unit all around the unit, said element at its rear portion being formed with a central flap and two oppositely disposed side flaps, and the side flaps being turned inward and butted edgewise togethen-in: covering: relation to said 'rear curving surface ofthe unit; a. tread element underlying said flexiblesheetgelement and stitched thereto all aroundtheforepart andralong both side marof the shank and'heel regions, said'tread elementfihaving arearwardly projecting tongue curving upwardly :and- 'rearwardly. over said central.flapzandcsaidzzbutted flaps and secured along itsopposite edgestolsaidbutted flaps, a welt strip secured to the: upper. all; around the lower edge portion thereof and rneanssecuring said flexible sheet'telement'tosaid weltstrip. all around the shoeand securingthe; end. of said tongue to the weltstrip. atxitherearend of the shoe.

3; Inv a; shoe; having an upper, a platform base structuresecured to theupper, comprising a sole and-:heel; platform unit having the rear end of its heelportion formed with convex. curvature which provides a. rear surface curving upwardly and rearwardly from the plane of the under surface of; the-heel portion substantially to the plane of the; uppersurfaceof. the heel. portion, a flexible sheet element oovering the edges of said. unit all around theun-it; including. the said rear curving surface-thereof;andiextendingunder at least the marginal portions of said under surface of the unit all around the unit, a composite tread element having a forepart and shank portion of leather stitched to said flexible sheet element all around the forepart and along the sides of the shank region, and having a heel portion of material having greater wear-resisting qualities, including a rearwardly projecting tongue extending upwardly and rearwardly in covering relation to said butted wings and stitched to said wings along the side edges of the tongue, a welt strip on the lower edge portion of said upper, and means lacing the upper edge of said flexible sheet element to the welt strip all around the shoe and lacing the end of said tongue to the welt strip at the rear end of the shoe.

4. In a shoe having an upper, a platform base structure secured to the upper, comprising a sole and heel platform unit having an approximately flat under surface from end to end and having the rear end of its heel portion formed with convex curvature which provides a rear surface curving upwardly and rearwardly from the plane of the under surface of the unit substantially to the plane of the upper surface of said heel portion, a flexible sheet element covering the edges of said unit all around the unit, including the said rear curving surface thereof, and extending under at least the marginal portions of said under surface of the unit all around the unit, a tread element stitched to said flexible sheet element all around the margin of its forepart and along the opposite side margins of its shank heel regions, said tread element having a rearwardly projecting tongue curving upwardly and rearwardly over said covered curving rear portion of the unit and stitched to the covering along the opposite side edges of the tongue, a welt strip on the upper extending all around the lower edge portion thereof, and means securing the upper edge of the flexible sheet element to the welt strip all around the shoe, andsecuring the end of said tongue to the welt strip at the rear end of the shoe.

5. In a platform type shoe, a sole and heel latform unit having its surface at the rear of the heel portion curving upwardly and rearwardly from the plane of the under surface of said unit substantially to the plane of the upper surface of said heel portion, a flexible sheet eleing portion curving upwardly and rearwardly in overlying relation to said covered curving rear portion of said unit, said rear'portion of the tread element being stitched to said butted wing portions of the flexible sheet element, an upper, and means securing the upper edge of said flexible sheet element to the upper all around the extent of the latter.

6. In a shoe having an upper, a sock-lining and a welt strip secured together all around the extent of the lower marginal edge portion of the upper, with the welt strip disposed exteriorly of the upper, a platform unit underlying the socklining and having a heel portion curving upwardly and rearwardly at the rear end portion of the unit from the plane of the under surface of said heel portion substantially to the plane of the upper surface thereof, a flexible sheet element covering the side edges of said platform unit all around the unit and extending under at least the marginal portion of the. under surface of said unit all around the unit, a tread element stitched to said flexible sheet element around its said portions extending under said unit, said flexible sheet element having a substantial cut-out at its rear end portion. providing oppositely disposed wings adapted to be butted edgewise together in covering relation to said curving heel portion of the platform unit, said tread element having a rearwardly extending portion overlying said covered curving portion of the unit and stitched to said butted wings, and rmeans securing the upper edge portion of said flexible sheet element to said welt strip all around the extent of the welt strip.

' ROY MALING.

No references cited. 

